Ranfurly met Ranfurly yesterday when the rugby-mad Maniototo town hosted the prized rugby shield.
The Ranfurly Shield continued its tour of heartland Otago, travelling from Palmerston through to Clyde and everywhere it went, the Log o' Wood stole the show.
It was accompanied by Otago players Marshall Suckling, Tony Ensor, Hugh Blake and Jackson Hemopo and the men were happy to be overshadowed by their precious cargo.
Hundreds of fans, young and old, many adorned in blue and gold, made the most of the chance to see the trophy at first hand, in their home town.
''It's the star of the show and so it should be; we're just the facilitators,'' Suckling said.
The town and the rugby trophy are both named after the Fifth Earl of Ranfurly, who was governor-general of New Zealand at the time the Otago Central railway was built. Maniototo Area School pupil Amanda Voice (10) had the historical details sorted.
''The shield was named after that man, not after the town,'' the Ranfurly girl said. More than 230 children - a full turnout from the area school and Ranfurly's St John's School- greeted the victorious Otago team in Ranfurly with a rousing cheer and a giant banner which read: ''Well Done Otago! Maniototo is very proud''.
Maniototo community board chairman and Central Otago district councillor Barry Becker had a suggestion for the team.
''If you people in Dunedin get sick of looking after it during summer, we'll look after it for you.''
Ethan McSkimming (5), of Ranfurly, was among the children who lined up for photographs with the shield. It was ''a wee bit heavy'', he said, but was impressed it was ''really shiny'', he said. Rippa rugby player Anna Clarke (11), of Gimmerburn, said it was ''cool'' - ''especially because we haven't had it for 56 years''.
The players made a quick detour to visit Maniototo rugby stalwart and Gimmerburn Rugby Club life member Bruce Paterson (87) in Maniototo Hospital.
Mr Paterson said he ''played a bit of rugby'' in his time, notching up 100 points in 10 years. Taking the shield on tour was a great idea, a real boost for schools and would inspire young rugby players, he said.
Friday night's match was a bit nerve-racking ''but they finished it off nicely and they really got behind one another to get that win''.
Rugby fan Audrey Forrester was celebrating her 88th birthday in the hospital and said seeing the shield was ''the best present I could have received''.
At the Alexandra stopover, Manaia Cribb (5), of Alexandra, explained how the shield was won.
''Whichever team gets the most rugby players, they're the ones who win it ... I think it's Clyde now,'' he said. Suckling said the players on tour with the shield were impressed with the warm welcome from those they met.
''These are children and their parents who have never seen the shield, never had a chance to hold it and their reaction makes it all worthwhile.''
• The tour continues today starting in Wanaka, then Arrowtown, Queenstown and Cromwell and finishing in Roxburgh tonight.
